Good evening.
I am pleased to provide a further update and reminders for the Cup Match weekend.
Firstly, both the Ministry of National Security & the Cabinet Committee have struggled with requests for large gatherings.
I note the fulsome explanation by the Minister of National Security - so I won’t repeat what Minister Ming has said.
With regard to the current proviso that all liquor licensed establishments close at midnight. This restriction will remain in place and be reviewed at next Mondays regularly scheduled meeting.
Regarding activities over Cup Match - overnight camping is allowed over the weekend with the following specificity.
Campers and picnickers will be allowed to erect camping and picnicking equipment and property on today, 28th July however camping is ONLY permitted from Wednesday 29th July until Monday 3rd August 2020.
Gates are open today so patrons have the opportunity to get their equipment and property into the parks and beaches until 9:30pm tomorrow 29th July 2020 after which time Park Ranger staff on duty will be locking the gates.
All equipment and property must be removed by Tuesday 4th August 2020 or it will be deemed abandoned and disposed of.
Maintenance staff will be collecting trash and cleaning bathrooms during the Cup Match Holiday and weekend.
Park Ranger staff will patrol the parks and beaches, enforcing the Park Regulations and addressing any other incidents in conjunction with the Bermuda Police Service and the Royal Bermuda Regiment.
Staff will be assigned to control traffic flow and parking at the following locations:
- Horseshoe Bay
- Warwick Long Bay West
- Elbow Beach Tribe Road 4B
- Clearwater Beach Park and Coopers Island Park & Nature Reserve.
Horseshoe Bay, due to the popularity on Emancipation Day Thursday 30th July 2020 will be managed as follows:
- Department of Parks staff in conjunction with officers of the Bermuda Police Service, Royal Bermuda Regiment and St. Johns Ambulance will be on duty.
- Traffic flow and parking will be controlled and once the parking lot is full access will be for dropping off only until spaces open up.
- There may be times when the parking lot is closed to all traffic in order to clear any congestion.
- Patrons are advised that the closure of Horseshoe Bay will be at 8:00 pm when patrons must start clearing the beach in order for the cleaning to begin for the use on Mary Prince Day Friday 31st July 2020.
Park and beach users are reminded not to park on double yellow lines or block the gates as they must remain clear at all times for access by Department of Parks maintenance & patrol vehicles, as well as emergency vehicles from the Bermuda Police Service, Royal Bermuda Regiment, Bermuda Fire & Rescue Services, and St. John Ambulance.
For safety the following will not be permitted:
- No Bonfires especially within Coopers Island Nature Reserve
- No excessively loud music playing
- No Dogs on the beaches
- No Horses on the beaches
- No vehicles inside the parks after the gates are closed
- Clean up your trash – leave the areas as you find them.
Camping on Coney Island Park is prohibited due to the structural integrity of the Bailey bridge.
The cooperation of patrons using the parks and beaches over the holiday period is appreciated.
These Regulations are covered under the National Parks Act and as such I will consider behavior over Cup Match in deciding further relaxations.
All of these measures are being relaxed because of our good behavior and following of the rules. We are still in a pandemic but we also recognize that we must gradually relax the rules.
It is vitally important that in considering our actions going forward that we all must be cognizant and careful to make decisions that do not put our families and fellow citizens at risk regarding Covid.
I’d like to slip in a comment on the two recently announced economic stimulus programmes – the Water & Waste Water master plan for Southside St. David’s & St. Georges – the first phase of which involves 7 tender packages at $5M being let early in August. And the construction of the Ottiwell A. Simmons International Arbitration Center – where a ground breaking ceremony took place earlier today in the presence of executives from Milhouse Engineering & Construction, Inc. and the man of the hour Mr. Ottiwell Simmons.
I’d like to remind the public that due to the Cup Match Holiday (30 and 31 July), garbage normally collected on those days will be collected on Saturday, 1 August, and recyclables normally collected on Thursday and Friday will be collected tomorrow - Wednesday, 29 July and Saturday, 1 August respectively.
Please place bagged garbage out for collection no later than 7:30 a.m. Recyclables must be placed out for collection in a blue or clear bag, or one of the specially marked blue wheelie bins.
Thank you, Premier.